Billions Magazine | Sep-Dec 2023 | Australian Edition

September –December 2023

People

From a port town to rural Taiwan

A ministry coach in Japan

Places

Pioneering social media outreach and music ministry in East Asia Publishing and Christian schooling in Japan

BI l Lions

Participate Gospel without barriers: Media 4 Movements

Things to know about church planting before you go

成長の印 Signs of Growth

Heart for Asia. Hope for Billions.

We are OMF International, founded by James Hudson Taylor in 1865 as the China Inland Mission. We serve the Church and share the good news of Jesus Christ in all its fullness with the people of East Asia.

Billions comes out three times a year and is free for supporters. It started life as China's Millions in 1875, the title highlighted the numbers of people without the hope of Christ. In 2000 we changed the name to reflect East Asia's growing population. Today we still want to help all Christians get involved in God's global plan and to pursue every avenue to reach East Asians for Jesus.

From the Editor

AU NATIONAL CENTRE

OMF International (AU)

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STATE CENTRES

NSW

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QLD/NT

This statement in 1 Corinthians 9:22 turns upside down one of the first principles of marketing I learned during my undergraduate degree, “You cannot be all things to all people.” Marketers understand that what they’re selling won’t appeal to everyone, so they identify a target audience who will purchase their product or service.

Paul, on the other hand, makes the bold claim that the gospel is for everyone – therefore, we cannot choose to whom and how we share the good news of Jesus. For us at OMF, this means using ‘all possible means’ to engage with others – including media and technology – for the sake of the gospel.

In this edition of Billions, we explore the different ways our missionaries share Jesus with the people of East Asia. By what ‘means’ might you share the good news?

Scott Brown Editor

au.media@omfmail.com

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SA sa@omfmail.com

INTERNATIONAL CENTRE

OMF International

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編者的話

“To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” 1 Corinthians 9:22 NIV

News Updates

Aj

ithFERNANDO

Ajith Fernando coming to OMF Mission Conference Sydney, March 15-17, 2024

Welcome Anton

Our new designer Anton joins OMF from warm, sunny Brisbane. From working in multiple media companies to ministering to international students with AFES, he’s grown to appreciate beauty. Beauty, that is, as expressed in humanity - and as he has experienced it at its best in the gospel, saving him and others from the ugliness of sin. He aims to not only “make things beautiful” but also inspire people to share the beautiful message of the gospel throughout East Asia and beyond. He is passionate to see more Christian designers consider engaging in mission – using their professional skills and partnering with others in creative ways to make the timeless and transforming truths of the gospel known. His guiding principle in life is to love God and others holistically—spiritually, emotionally and physically. He can be found drinking coffee and making people laugh daily.

A farewell to Nate

After seven years of service, Nate finished serving with OMF in May. A valued member of our communications team, Nate contributed much more to our ministry than “making things look good.” (Though he definitely did that really well!) He’s given insights into the wider communications space and trends, proposed strategies that align with OMF values, exhorted us to think of communication in light of the gospel, and pushed us to scrutinize everything we do through a biblical lens that is attuned to what is fair, just and faithful to Christ. Join us in prayer for Nate as he transitions into his new communications role with Melbourne School of Theology.

THE MAIN THING

At one stage during World War II President Roosevelt was traveling to North Africa on board the battleship USS Iowa. There were a number of support ships in the convoy tasked with the responsibility of protecting and escorting the President. However, during one anti-aircraft drill, the Destroyer USS William D. Porter fired an armed and live torpedo at the President’s battleship and initially failed to radio them a warning. History shows it all worked out and the President survived, however it is a rather striking example of forgetting or neglecting your primary mission! In this case - to protect the President.

As Stephen Covey famously wrote: “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” This edition of Billions focuses on Evangelism and Church Planting. For OMF this is the main thing. We may be involved in many noble causes and meet various felt needs, but the main thing is to meet the deepest need - and the deepest need is Jesus.

As always, Jesus is our ultimate example and lead when it comes to our mission and ‘main thing.’ After Jesus healed many in Capernaum (including Peter’s mother-in-law), Peter got excited about the crowds and popularity this brought. Yet Jesus was focused on his ‘main thing’ and replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages— so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”

Elsewhere in Luke, Jesus puts it this way, “For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.” (Luke 19:10). Saving the lost could only ever come through the death and resurrection of Jesus and as Romans 10:13-15 explains, this is news that needs to be heard.

That is why it makes perfect sense for the mission of the church to centre on making disciples and teaching them all that Jesus commanded (Matt 28:18-20). At the end of Peter’s Pentecost sermon, the

imperative is to respond to gospel proclamation in repentance and faith. Thus the mission of the church, our main thing, is clear. As DeYoung and Gilbert put it, “The mission of the church is to go into the world and make disciples by declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Spirit and gathering these disciples into churches, that they might worship the Lord and obey his commands now and in eternity to the glory of God the Father.”

This has been the heartbeat of OMF from its founding. Hudson Taylor wrote, “A million a month were dying in that land [China], dying without God. This was burning into my very soul.” The overwhelming desire to proclaim Christ and the need for repentance and faith in him drove Hudson Taylor to give his life sacrificially to serve the Chinese people. Many other saints have gone before us with similar passion for those ‘dying without God.’ D. L. Moody wrote, “If I believed there was no hell, I am sure I would be off tomorrow for America. I would give up going from town to town and spending day and night ‘urging men to escape from damnation’. Or as William Booth colorfully put it, “The very best preparation that anyone could ever receive for missionary service would be to be dangled over hell for 24 hours.”

The legacy of evangelism and church planting is carried on today in OMF:

• In South East Asia there are marketplace workers using their networks and connections to proclaim the gospel to professionals and build relationships in the community to share Bible stories, practice hospitality and connect with local Christians.

• In other parts of South East Asia there are teams using social media and other platforms to promote Scripture and the teachings of Jesus. This strategy follows up individually with enquirers with the ultimate goal of meeting a local Christian in person and connecting them to a Christian community.

• The Pearl Garden Network in Taiwan has taken years to build relationships and establish trust with marginalized

love of Christ. Over years the gospel has been proclaimed and small communities of believers and seekers have been formed.

• In southern Thailand adventure camps are run to meet felt needs in the community. This creates an opportunity to communicate the good news of Jesus, who fulfills our deepest needs.

When my family served in Japan, we were involved in a church planting team. This was a pioneering type ministry in an area that had few Christians and churches. It was a great joy to teach many adults and children different bible stories in Japanese at the end of English classes. We were blessed to see a number of baptisms while we served, as well as some of these Japanese friends baptized after we had returned to Australia. Our experienced team leaders worked on the principle that every event or activity or class we did always had the Bible or a testimony in it. I remember running an exercise class for men on a Saturday and as we were stretching at the start I would give part of my testimony in Japanese! It was not always easy or comfortable, but it was a privilege to bring the light of Christ to those who had not heard.

At OMF, our heartbeat continues to be evangelism and making disciples. It is our main thing. We pray for and long for many more East Asians to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ, repent and believe. Please keep praying for us and partnering with us as we persevere in this work by the power of the Spirit for the glory of God.

Paul Jessop OMF (AU) National Director

We may be involved in many noble causes and meet various felt needs, but the main thing is to meet the deepest need - and the deepest need is Jesus.

Should we be Church Planting in 2023?

In a world of YouTube sermons and discipleship podcasts, are traditional church planting strategies still the most effective way of spreading the message of Jesus? Is there still value in establishing physical gatherings of believers in line with the first century context of Acts and the Epistles?

In our recent Serve Asia Podcast series on church planting, we discussed these questions with Adam* and John, OMF (UK) workers involved in church planting in two different contexts. Their insightful answers shed light on the timeless value of church planting, while acknowledging the need for flexibility and adaptation in a changing cultural landscape.

Faithful flexibility

Adam highlighted the need for both faithfulness and flexibility in responding to a changing world. He was keen to point out that God’s unchanging nature provides a solid foundation for the Church’s mission. Adam drew inspiration from theologian Kevin Vanhoozer's metaphor of improvisation in drama or music to illustrate the concept of faithful and fitting responses in different settings within the overarching story of God’s plan.

Adam explained: ‘We don’t exactly replicate what was done in the first century, nor do we replicate what was done in the 1800s. Nor even what was done 15 years ago. And yet, we are still in the same story. We still have the same God, we know where the story started, we have the scenes of creation, fall, and redemption, we’re still waiting for the final scene of consummation, we know where it’s going.’

As well as knowing where we are headed, Adam shared how we can draw on what has come before. In church planting, ‘we can’t do whatever we want’. ‘The Bible is our script’, he explained. Yet there is freedom in faithful improvisation. ‘Wherever you are, there is the whole history of the church before us. That gives us our cue; that shows us what faithful discipleship looks like,’ Adam said. ‘And yet it’s over to us, under the guidance of the Spirit, to improvise faithfully at this moment in time, what is fitting for the kingdom of God, here and now.’

Discipleship in a digital age?

‘I think certainly there are faster ways’ of sharing the gospel, John reflected, but ‘I don’t think there are better or more effective ways of reaching a community’. Drawing on references in both Old and New Testaments, he emphasised the biblical mandate for God’s people to gather together. These gatherings provide a nurturing environment for believers to grow, support one another, and demonstrate the love of Christ. The importance of physical presence in fostering genuine connections and witness is also key, as Jesus himself stated that people would recognise his disciples by their love for one another. John shared ‘we have nonChristians turn up at church, and their reflection

at the end of a service is “Wow, I’ve never been somewhere like this where everyone clearly really cares for each other. It’s like a family.”’ This tangible expression of love can deeply impact people and draw them closer to Christ.

Addressing the potential of doing evangelism online, John pointed out that while this offers various advantages, it may not be as effective in reaching those who are not actively seeking information about Jesus. Mostly you only come across content related to what you’re already consuming or what you enter in a search bar. Additionally, John has found that in his context, the internet is flooded with content from a wide range of sources, making it challenging for individuals to discern genuine Christian

content. However, he also wanted to be clear that the choice between church planting and digital outreach should not be an either-or proposition. Throughout the ages, the Church has used new technology, such as the printing press during the Protestant Reformation. Both approaches can complement one another. John shared that his church understood the value of being present on social media, such as YouTube and Facebook. Additionally, he has seen excellent ministries using radio, television, and informative websites to supplement church planting efforts and reach those who lack access to physical churches. As we head into 2024, the world continues to change rapidly, but the timeless principles of Scripture provide a firm foundation for faithful discipleship and mission. Church planting, with its emphasis on the physical gathering of believers embodying Christ’s love, remains a powerful strategy for sharing the good news of Jesus. We can also make the most of digital platforms that offer additional avenues to reach individuals who may not have access to physical church communities. By combining the strengths of both approaches, the Church can effectively navigate the complexities of the modern world and continue to share the message of Jesus across East Asia and beyond.

Watts  OMF (UK) Communications Manager

Chris

We don’t exactly replicate what was done in the first century, nor do we replicate what was done in the 1800s.

church

(Almost) 10 things to know about church planting before you go

We asked, “What's one thing you wish you knew about church planting before you got there?” Here are some things OMF missionaries confessed…

You need humility, curiosity, and to admit you don’t actually know anything about church planting

“I wish I had known that I don't actually know anything about church planting...Although my knowledge and experiences in my home country have some value, the cold hard truth is very little of it is directly applicable to the context in which I am working. I wish I had known (and accepted) that I needed the humility and curiosity to begin a new journey of learning about ministry, in general, and church planting, in particular.”

Steve, Japan

There’s both shame and honour in churches wherever they are

“One thing we wish we knew about church planting before we got here is that it can be a place where people can face both shameful and honourable events together as a community.”

Jason & Hiwin, Taiwan

Get ready to learn from others’ insights

“We are always amazed at how God's word changes the way people think and live. We learn so much from our Taiwanese friends with a young faith and their insights into the Bible.”

Aaron & Amy, Taiwan

Your training and experience might go out the window… and patience is vital

“I wish I knew how little of my experience and training would be relevant in such a different context! Also, everything always takes a LOT longer than anticipated.”

Simon & Ange, Cambodia

There’s more than one way to plant a church

“I wish I knew about the different definitions and models of church planting to gain insights and learn from others' experiences and perspectives.”

Vivian, Taiwan

Work alongside

local people

if you can and invest deeply in your local community

“If at all possible, it is best to work alongside a local Christian, who is willing to patiently help you use your language and relate the gospel to the culture in relevant ways. Be prepared to invest a lot of time in the community you are ministering to and particularly seeking authentic relationship, showing that the people are not merely a part of our agenda, but that we value them for who they are. In this way we not only share the message of Christ, but model Christ through our lives.”

Bruce & Trish, Thailand

There are no shortcuts to effective ministry

“We wish we knew how hard it would be to learn a new language and culture and how long it would take to be effective in ministry.  Being able to communicate in the heart language of the people is vital to effective ministry and there are no shortcuts.”

Pete & Jane, East Asia

Teamwork (however hard it is) is such an effective way to start churches

“I think did not realise before starting on church planting that it is all about teams.  Working well together as a team is hard, but it is such an effective way of starting churches.”

Greg, Japanese Diaspora Returnee Ministries

The secret is in John 13:34-35 (and it comes from Jesus)

“The "secret" to church planting is given to us in John 13:34-35: When we learn to love our fellow Christians as Christ has loved us, people will see what a disciple of Jesus really looks like. But learning to love like this is so hard. It can only come from an overflow of the love we have received from Jesus.”

Andrew & Joanna, Japan

Joining God’s story

In January 2023, Cambodian Christians and cross-cultural workers gathered in the capital Phnom Penh to mark 100 years of Protestant mission in the country. Around 10,000 people attended each day of the two-day centennial festival, including the Cambodian Prime Minister. Among the delegates was Korean OMF worker Hak Hyun Cho, who led a session on Cambodian Church history.

For Hak Hyun and his wife, Seung Won, the celebration helped them see how their church planting ministries are part of God’s plan to build his Church in Cambodia. Seung Won says the celebration showed them ‘how God made the Cambodian Church grow … not by foreign missionaries but [through the] Cambodian Church and Cambodian church leaders’ to start a mission movement to Cambodia and beyond. In fact, the festival’s vision statement expressed the hope that Cambodia would become ‘the aroma of Christ in Asia and around the world.’ 1

It is a grand vision, but for Hak Hyun & Seung Won, the key notes of 20 years of church planting ministry have been perseverance, humility and trusting the results to God.

Perseverance

Having worked in Cambodia since 1999, Hak Hyun & Seung Won are now among the longest-serving OMF workers in the country. OMF had only re-entered Cambodia in 1991, after the Khmer Rouge years (1975-1979) and the war with Vietnam.

Hak Hyun & Seung Won’s first church planting assignment in 2001 took them to Neak Loeung, a town in the southeast of the country, on the road toward Vietnam.

‘I was so nervous’, Hak Hyun tells me. However, the Lord encouraged them from Deuteronomy 1:30 that he would be going ahead of them.

Hak Hyun says that from day one, as they helped start the church in Neak Loeung, they were clear about their role. ‘I told them, “We are going to be phased out. The missionaries should leave at some point.”’ They worked with local Christians and OMF colleagues for fourteen years to get the church and its three daughter churches in surrounding villages to maturity under local leadership. Hak Hyun continues to mentor the senior pastor, meeting almost every month either on Zoom or in person.

Reaching that point, however, took perseverance. Seung Won tells me that after two or three years in Neak Loeung they were struggling. We were in a rush, Seung Won says: ‘We were already wanting to see the fruit from our ministries’.

Then at a local church leaders’ conference they got a reality check. They asked one of the pastors: ‘How long does it take the average Cambodian to come to faith in Christ?’

Oh, at least eight years, he said.

‘And that’s just the starting point’, Seung Won reflects. Church planting is long, slow work. God brings fruit in his time as his people faithfully play their part. ‘Whatever strategies or plans we make’, Seung Won says, ‘it is God who does the work, not us.’

Hak Hyun & Seung Won have not persevered alone; the faithful support of churches and individuals helps them keep going. That support has not just been in finance and prayers, but people as well. Several short-term teams from their sending church have come to serve alongside them. Surprisingly, Hak Hyun stresses that the main objective of these teams is not to do ministry. Rather, team members get an insight into Cambodian culture and how to pray more effectively for their missionaries. Yet the popularity of Korean culture in Cambodia does give these teams a unique opportunity. ‘Even though [these young people] have different personalities, they are fans of the same [Kpop] idols’, Hak Hyun relates. This connection can help open the door to longer-term relationships and sharing the good news of Jesus.

Humility

In Neak Loeung they not only learnt patience but growing humility. ‘Naturally, missionaries doing ministry in [Cambodia] follow what they have used before, [but it is] sometimes very dangerous not to learn the host culture.’ Hak Hyun adds: ‘My background is as a Presbyterian pastor, but our church planting team here is international and also interdenominational… I cannot insist on the Presbyterian way or doctrines.’ He’s found that sometimes you learn the wrong way the hard way.

‘I took a discipleship training course. So we chose the materials and also gave some guidelines for trainees. But these guidelines were very strict. This kind of training concept is from my background in Korean churches,’ he tells me. ‘Disciples are trainees’, so we ‘should be strict [and] complete our course.’

‘But after this course, one of my [Cambodian] brothers, came to me and said: “Thank you for your training. Your leading is very good. But the way you’re leading is not appropriate with Khmer ways. Khmer ways are very generous. Not forced, but flexible.”’

sometimes you learn the wrong way the hard way

That day Hak Hyun learnt two valuable lessons: first, to be quicker to listen to local Christians and second that he needed a more Cambodian approach to discipleship. It may be less formal than a discipleship training course. It is built around relationships, going house to house, and having a discussion starting from the questions people are asking, not a neat five-session course. Yet this approach is bearing fruit, helping Cambodian Christians work out what it means to follow Jesus every day.

Trusting God

After years of ministering around Neak Loeung, Hak Hyun & Seung Won still felt called to rural church planting. 75 per cent of Cambodians live in the countryside and there are few opportunities to hear about Jesus. In 2018 they crossed to the opposite side of Cambodia to serve in Siem Riep province, home to the famous temple at Angkor Wat, and near the border with Thailand.

When the pandemic came, ‘it seemed like everything stopped’, Seung Won shares, ‘but God was still working.’ Encouragingly, two people came to faith in Christ through online Bible studies, were baptised in their village pond and took a year of Bible training. Sadly, many other people who came to their church meetings during the pandemic have now returned to Thailand for work. Keeping churches together and growing is a current challenge.

As I wrap up our interview, Seung Won reflects that after growing up in a city, she now has a new appreciation of agricultural metaphors in the Bible: ‘I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow’ (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). ‘God really wants us to be faithful to him, not just concentrating on the fruit of our ministry’, she concludes.

Reuben Grace OMF (UK) Content & Books Coordinator

75 per cent of Cambodians live in the countryside and there are few opportunities to hear about Jesus

wanted Church planters

OMF worker Hak Hyun Cho believes that despite the needs of churches at home in Korea or in the West, there is still a place for church planters to go and serve crossculturally: ‘Above all, we still need church planters. Whether they are Western or non-Western is not important. But we need church planters in Cambodia.’

What kind of qualities do church planters need today? Hak Hyun & Seung Won shared four helpful points:

1. Get experience

Seung Won: ‘OMF Cambodia requires at least one year of Bible school church planters, but church ministry experience would be great too.’

2. Love learning language and culture

Hak Hyun: ‘Learning language is not only a tool for ministry. Nowadays, we have digital tools like Google Translate but still, we have to learn language and culture. We recommend OMF because of our programmes to help new missionaries learn language and culture.’

3. Love spending time with people

‘Eating food together is very, very important,’ Hak Hyun jokes. Rural Cambodia ‘is not time orientated, task orientated. The people love and enjoy life together. Be willing to take time with people.’

It’s great if you love working with children, Seung Won adds. ‘Wherever you go, there are so many children. When church planting starts in the village, the children’s ministry always starts first.’

4. Love teamwork

‘OMF places a high value on teamwork’, Hak Hyun says. You have to be willing to lay down your own ideas and work alongside people from different cultures and church backgrounds.

Explore over 50 current church planting opportunities with us in Cambodia, Thailand, Taiwan and Japan at  go.omf.org/churchplanting-23

Media for Movements Evangelism in a Digital World

Imagine a Japanese businessman working long hours, six days a week. During their lunch break, they open Facebook and begin scrolling. An advert pops up asking, ‘Do you have a broken relationship requiring forgiveness?’ The question makes them curious, so they click to anonymously connect with a Christian on a messaging app. This is the first contact they have ever had with a follower of Jesus.

Media

In today’s digital world, there are opportunities to sow the seed of the gospel in far more places than we can physically reach. Harnessing social media to engage and connect spiritual seekers with local Christians can be a link in a chain leading to the gospel movements OMF exists to see formed among East Asia’s people. Movements where the good news of Jesus doesn’t stop with the person who hears and responds to the gospel, but they go on to share it among their own people group and beyond.

Like in the scenario above, social media posts ask questions directed at a particular cultural demographic in their own language. There is an invitation to chat with trained local Christians online, leading to an opportunity to meet followers of Jesus in their area for discipleship in person.

While these posts are carefully targeted, sharing online can also reach people in unexpected ways. Andy Smith, the OMF International Coordinator for Evangelization, who has been encouraging OMF centres to explore online ministry, recalls how in the late 1990s a southern Californian church discovered many Japanese people were watching their sermons. ‘They began intentionally responding to comments, which saw a good number come to faith’, he says.

Explore opportunities to use your skills: go.omf.org/media-opportunities-23 Get it touch with Ray to find out more at  int.m4m@omfmail.com

Movements

There are growing opportunities to share the gospel online. One evangelistic Facebook page that started in 2020 now has 8,000 followers and posts reached over one million people. OMF has several growing ministries in this area. Ray, an OMF worker who pioneered one of these ministries, has recently been appointed as Media for Mission consultant to help grow and coordinate our work in this area. While Media for Movements are mainly locally led, we are keen to hear from anyone with social media experience who can help support this work from home.

3 1 2 3

Top Tips for Evangelism

Pray

I’m running an evangelism training group at the moment and discovered that none of the attendees were praying for opportunities. Praying regularly for this will open our eyes to the many opportunities that are already there: the shop assistant, the hairdresser (a captive audience), the person on the bus.  Pray for courage (we’ll always be afraid, but the Lord can help us have the two seconds of courage to open our mouths), for open hearts, for God to already be working in our friend’s life and for Satan’s power to be bound.

Tell a story

Today many people have set up barriers against abstract truth statements. Stories can slide under these barriers. Tell parts of your own story in a ‘before-after’ format, explaining how knowing Jesus has made a difference in such things as learning to control your temper, forgive, not worry…

Prepare at least one Bible story (see my website storyingthescriptures.com for how). It is surprisingly easy to start a conversation with, ‘Can I tell you a story that has meant a lot to me?’

Learn to ask good questions

Starting gospel conversations is not easy, but if you’re praying and collecting good questions, it will be much easier.  Here are some to start you off:

What makes life worth living for you?

What are your life goals?

What would you like to be remembered for?

If you could have one thing in the world, what would it be?

What do you think happens after death? Why?

Why do you think the world is such a mess?

What others can you add?

Once you’ve listened to your friends’ answers, hopefully you’ll have a chance to share your answers to the same questions. Make sure you’re prepared!

17

On Mission Together

We hear from two Japanese pastors about their churches, the benefits and challenges of serving alongside OMF workers and how we can pray for them:

Can you tell us about your church?

Pastor Micah

Pastor Yamahiro

Our church is in Nayoro, a city in Northern Hokkaido with a population of 28,000. The church was started in 2014 and is located away from the city centre but near Nayoro University. About 18 people gather for worship, ranging from middle school students to people in their 90s, but most are in their 50s to 60s. Earlier this year, we started a church plant in the village of Nishiokkope, about 45 minutes outside the city, and are engaging with the local community. We hope to have local residents attending there soon and for more people to come to both churches through our new outreach initiatives.

Our church has a membership of about 30 people; we have two congregations in two locations. Both church locations were started by OMF missionaries, one in the early 1960s and the other in the 1990s, and then we joined together and became one individual independent church around 2000. I’ve been a pastor here in Aomori Prefecture in northern Japan for almost 10 years. I’m 36 years old. In our church association, I am by far the youngest pastor. We currently have three OMF couples serving with us, two longterm and one for six months.

Why did you become a pastor?

Pastor Yamahiro

I began reading the Bible and developed faith through my father’s Christian funeral. I was baptised at a church in Obihiro. Later, I was called to be a pastor at a church plant.

What are the benefits of having cross-cultural workers in your church?

Pastor Yamahiro

It brings me joy to be able to work together to build up the church. From the perspective of fellow church members, their example as believers is a positive model for us all. I have also learned from their enthusiasm for evangelism through constant prayer and ideas to share the gospel.

And the challenges?

Pastor Micah

Everybody comes with different experiences, different ideas, and different approaches to ministry. I always want to encourage them to be part of that ministry and do what God has called them to do.

Often missionaries bring methods and ideas that are very non-Japanese. It is hard for Japanese Christians to understand why these things may be helpful or see the benefit to them. Likewise, methods for outreach and evangelism need discernment to be useful and effective.

How can we pray for you and your church?

Pastor Micah

It can be a struggle to live as a Christian in the workplace and at home, living among non-Christians and in a culture that is very strongly rooted in its beliefs. Pray that the Lord will give church members encouragement, protection, spiritual rest and guidance as they live as a Christian among non-Christians.

Pray for guidance for me as a pastor, wisdom and discernment. Not just as a pastor, but also as a husband and a father to my two children, that I can be a role model for them of someone who is loving God in serving his Church and caring for my family.

Pastor Micah

You can easily become stuck in a very traditional way of church life in rural Japan. Some of the congregation, especially seniors, have never left the prefecture.

So some of the biggest blessings and benefits that I’ve received through OMF missionaries is keeping me openminded about things and being exposed to new ideas. Through OMF workers coming, the church members are blessed and have their horizons widened as they worship with and serve alongside people from other countries and cultures.

I don’t have any pastors my age that I can share with or connect with in a close way. In Asian culture, you respect your seniors and that means you can be distanced from them even though you meet with them regularly. It would be nice to have someone of a similar age, or a little closer to relate to. Thankfully God has been given me some great missionaries through OMF to share with and to connect with regularly.

Pastor Yamahiro

I know that coming to Japan and experiencing the differences in culture and lifestyle has been challenging for the missionaries. But I have learned to trust in God through seeing their example of walking with God and looking up to him.

How do you deal with these challenges?

Pastor Micah

It’s often a lot of prayer and just talking about what we’ve experienced, what we’ve heard and trying to discern what might work.

Pray for each member to learn to love and serve the church as their own, and for the work of the new church plant to be protected. May the gospel spread to the community around the church plant.

Pastor Yamahiro

Persevering Together

I knew before coming to Thailand that learning the language would be the biggest challenge. 18 years later, it is still my biggest challenge.

I struggle writing in my own language and I’m not musical, so writing in another language and learning the different tones used in speaking Thai would be difficult. One of the reasons I initially chose to join OMF for up to three years as an English teacher was because you didn’t need to do as much language study or have such a high level of Thai. However, I clearly remember the day, as I tried to give advice to a student, that I realised I needed to be able to communicate well in Thai so I could share the good news with Thai people I had grown to love. This gave me the motivation to keep learning the language when I returned to Thailand longer-term.

Why do I keep going?

After completing five years of formal Thai study and over 15 years of trying to communicate in Thai, why have I chosen to keep going when it is a struggle and a source of embarrassment? For me it is simple. There are still tens of millions of

Thai people who have not heard about Jesus. I’m reminded of this at Christmas when Thai people say things like ‘Christmas is the foreigners’ New Year’ or ’Christmas is about Santa and gifts’. I also find sharing the good news of Jesus and journeying with people as they come to know Jesus very rewarding. So as long as God wishes to use me with my limited language ability, I will keep sharing the good news of Jesus with Thai people.

Who keeps me going?

Ultimately the Lord encourages me that my value is in my identity in Christ, not my performance in language learning or ministry. Often, though, encouragement has come through God’s people. From the OMF language advisors who assured me I was making progress, the local Christians who asked me to pray in Thai, to the supporters who asked questions about my prayer requests or sent me an encouraging note.

The support of churches and individuals over the years has also helped me keep going. Here are a few practical things churches can do to help support OMF workers during their first few years serving and during times of difficulty or discouragement:

• Encourage them in language and culture learning. Congratulate them when they pass an exam, or comment on posts they share on social media about a new cultural insight. Also, reassure them that you understand that it takes time to learn language and culture.

• Create opportunities for OMF workers to share why they want to share the good news of Jesus with the people they serve. I have found that as I tell others about my desire to share the good news with Thai people, like short term workers, visitors, and groups back in New Zealand my desire to share it grows.

• Remind them of who Jesus says they are. This might be through a Bible verse, worship song, or a book you are reading.

• Assure them of your prayers by replying to their prayer letters and following up on prayer requests. Recently when I asked for prayer about deciding whether to continue running the children’s program on Sunday mornings at church, a couple of supporters sent Bible verses and told me they were praying with me. This reminded me I was not alone, that others understood this was not an easy decision and that others were praying for me.

• Send a note of encouragement or a small gift, like a treat from home. December is a busy and tiring month for OMF workers as there are a lot of outreach events for Christmas. It is also the time of year I most feel the separation from my family as I miss end of year performances and family Christmas events. But one of the things that lifts my mood after a long day is coming home to a piece of mail. A gift I look forward to every year is from a supporter who sends a New Zealand calendar and a card.

• Provide them with the means to take a break or to do something that will refresh them.

• Above all, pray for them to persevere in ministry.

Lee-anne Hill OMF New Zealand

Pray for:

• Resilience to keep trying to share the good news of Jesus even when it is difficult

• A deep sense of their value in Jesus

• Humility to share the struggles they are facing

• People that would faithfully encourage them, pray for them, and pray for the people they are sharing the good news with

難しい質問を訊く

Asking tough questions

500

OMF Japan Field Director Chris Pain asks this simple – yet hard to answer – question in his introduction to ‘Church Planting and Partnering in Japan: Learning from Pastors’ and Missionaries’ Perspectives’. Released in October 2022, the report is helping OMF and other mission agencies assess their approach to church planting in Japan.

Since starting work in Japan in 1952, OMF has been involved in about 70 church plants. 1 However, as Daniel Lau, a Singaporean OMF worker on the research team explained, ‘we noticed that the rate of church planting has slowed in the last few decades. Not just in OMF, but across different mission agencies. We were asking ourselves “why is that?” and “what can we do better?”’ When 18 cities and over 500 towns in Japan still have no Protestant church these are vital questions to ask. 2

In 2021 OMF Japan turned to Eido Research, a UK-based Christian consultancy firm, to help get some answers. The review consisted of two elements. First, an online survey of 70 people involved in church planting ministry in Japan –OMF workers, other missionaries and Japanese pastors. Second, a listening project of around 40 detailed interviews with Japanese church plant leaders, missionaries, mission agency leaders and experts on church planting in Japan.

TOWNS with no church

CHURCH PLANTS since 1952

18

CITIES with no church

Growing healthy churches

Graphic (info graphic) based on stats to the barriers?

church planters’ background, experiences and spiritual giftings and the social, economic and demographic characteristics of the community.

Cutting through the weeds

More importantly, the report also reveals the barriers to developing these characteristics in churches.

Through the surveys and interviews, four general principles for effective church plants emerged:

INWARD HEALTH

clear vision, prayer, team unity and discipleship

OUTWARD FOCUS

evangelism, connecting with other churches, meeting community needs

METHODOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY

no ‘one size fits all’ model of church planting

In the first area of inward health, a major barrier identified was a lack of believers equipped for service and a wider lack of discipleship. Daniel says this was the theme that stood out to him most while working on the report: ‘We really want to see not just churches being planted, but disciples making other disciples. After all, that’s what the Great Commission is. The Church is not just a building. A church is a gathering of fellow disciples on a journey toward Christlikeness who in turn reach out to other people.’

Daniel shared that in the church he supports they have been emphasising that discipleship is ‘for the long haul'. That it is about ‘loving the Lord in obedience out of a heart of gratitude’ and includes all of life, in the workplace and the home. As Daniel outlines, deeper discipleship not only helps develop internally healthy churches but should lead to a greater outward focus and passion for evangelism. A lack of passion for evangelism was the most mentioned (by 33 per cent of respondents) barrier to churches having an external focus. 4

EFFECTIVE

HANDOVER to new leaders. 3

Some of these factors are to be expected, but Daniel shares that the principle of methodological flexibility was a bit of a surprise. He explains that it’s common for discussions about church planting to promote a particular model – such as house churches or traditional churches – as a key factor in success. But as Daniel says, ‘there is no one single right model in Japan’. He has been involved in both house churches in Tokyo and traditional church plants in rural areas so can see the benefits of different approaches. The important thing is finding the best approach for each setting, based on the

Another factor discouraging church planting is more difficult to deal with. The report explains: ‘Since few Japanese churches were growing, there was limited potential for successful churches to send members to form a daughter church. Many churches also lacked staff and sufficient income to hire a pastor.’ One pastor told the research team that for many Japanese churches, the idea of planting another church just seems unrealistic. 5

Yet perhaps the most significant barriers can affect even the healthiest of churches in Japan, which still encounter much spiritual and cultural resistance. The report, which is freely available online, has interesting insights on the nature of this resistance and possible solutions, including greater community engagement and exploring new ministry models. 6

Working better together

Considering the fourth principle of effective leadership handover brings us to a section of the report that makes for challenging reading. Comparing the responses of Japanese pastors and cross-cultural workers revealed they had different expectations of how partnerships should begin and progress and highlighted the importance of clearly setting expectations at the outset.7 Improving these partnerships will be vital for effective church planting. 8

A majority of the pastors interviewed were in favour of working with cross-cultural workers, but made valuable recommendations for OMF and other agencies to consider.

First, the review highlighted that participants felt missionaries’ primary focus should be on church planting rather than training and equipping roles. They also stressed that, although there might be exceptional times when missionaries have to start churches on their own, ‘when possible, missionaries should … partner with Japanese churches and Christians.’9

Second, pastors shared the ideal characteristics of potential partners. Cross-cultural workers should bring experience in church ministry, evangelistic gifting, pastoral ability and crosscultural training. 10 Yet more important than all these was the worker’s character, showing flexibility, humility and a willingness to accept Japanese leadership and vision. Sadly, the report notes 63 per cent of participants who had partnered with missionaries found their inflexibility to be a significant challenge in their partnership. 11 Humble partnership, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21) is the way forward.

Pray for:

— The strategy review team as they consider how to implement the report findings

God's wisdom and guidance in discerning what will be the best directions for future church planting God to raise up humble and flexible cross-cultural workers to serve in Japan

Revival in Japan

Looking to the future

The final part of the report explores future opportunities for church planting. The survey offered several possible future strategies for respondents to choose from, such as targeting towns and villages without churches or focusing on a small number of churches to ensure deep discipleship. However, there was no consensus on one approach to take. Two key areas that were highlighted was the need for church plants in rural areas and meeting the needs of young people. 12 Daniel explains that the report’s release isn’t the end of the review team’s work. Now they are engaging with all OMF Japan members on the next steps, reviewing strategies and developing new guidelines for future church planting. He concludes, ‘I'm very encouraged that even though church planting is slow, it is God who plants his Church. So it will grow. We just have to trust him and be faithful to the work he has called us to do.

Reuben Grace OMF (UK) Content & Books Coordinator

"when possible, missionaries should … partner with Japanese churches and Christians"

A Week of Prayer for Church Planters

Prayer is a vital way to support church planting. Use these prompts to guide your prayers for church planters around the world:

Sunday Gathering together

As churches gather, may disciples find encouragement, love, and strength to live for Jesus this week. May believers’ love for one another be a testimony to the gospel (John 13:35). Pray for new churches in new cultures to retain that culture’s God-given beauty and creativity in their worship and church life.

Monday Sharing the gospel

Pray for wisdom for local Christians and crosscultural workers building relationships and working out how best to share and demonstrate the gospel in new places. Ask for the Holy Spirit’s enabling and direction and for the Father to draw people to Christ (John 6:44).

Tuesday Discipleship

Coming to faith in Christ is just the start of the journey. Pray for wise teachers who can help new disciples learn to obey everything Jesus has commanded (Matthew 28:20). Ask for discernment for leaders to guide new churches into maturity without falling into the trap of legalism.

Wednesday Raising leaders

Ask God to raise up people who know the gospel, model godly living and can take on leading new churches in the future. Pray for leaders who ‘hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught’ (Titus 1:9).

Thursday Collaboration

Pray for churches and individual gospel workers as they serve together to plant more churches. Ask the Lord to grow and protect these relationships for the extension of his kingdom. Pray for grace to work through difficulties, bear with one another in love and mutual humility to find the best ways to serve together.

Friday Multiplication

May churches plant more churches. Pray for leaders to have eyes to see the people and places the church isn’t reaching and find ways to serve them. Ask the Lord to break down walls that keep Christians from sharing his love with people who are different from them.

Saturday Perseverance

Praise God that the results of church planters’ work is in his hands (1 Corinthians 3:6). Ask him to make the gospel seeds they have planted and watered grow and for this truth to encourage workers struggling today with seeing little fruit in their ministry.

Arrivals 抵達 Vivian To

From a port town to rural Taiwan

As Vivian’s time of service in a port town in Taiwan draws to a close, she reflects on how she’s seen the wonder and power of the Holy Spirit at work – and looks forward to her next ministry in rural southern Taiwan.

For the last 5 years, I’ve been serving with OMF’s church planting team in Donggang, a fishing and tourism port town. I partnered with local church leaders and Christians to build relationships with shop-owners and people living in neighbouring towns, with the hope of sharing the gospel. Here are some of the things I’ve seen God do:

Wonder and amazement at the gospel

A teammate and I met regularly with local women at a café in the wet market. As we sipped coffee together, we shared about our lives. Prior to the start of their day - whether work at an aquarium, café, or other commitments - we would read the Bible together.

I learnt so much from these women – Taiwanese culture, their joys and struggles, their reflections on God’s Word. They personally experienced the truth that only Jesus can bring healing and wholeness where there was once brokenness and pain; only Jesus can bring about such change in hearts and lives.

The way they responded to God’s Word reminded me of Acts 3:1-10, where people responded in awe as they saw a lame beggar walking.

When God moves in power through the name of Jesus, the people who witness it will naturally respond with wonder and amazement (v.9-10).

As I witnessed the wonder and power of the Holy Spirit at work in these women, my heart was stirred and my spirit awakened to the fact that He can bring changes in me and in the lives of people we hope to bring to Christ.

Close partnerships with Taiwanese Christians

Another highlight was the opportunity to work closer with local Christians. Years of the pandemic were challenging times for local churches, particularly those in small and rural areas. God remained sovereign throughout this uncertain time; this unexpectedly opened a greater opportunity for me to serve, encourage and support existing church partnerships.

Through these closer working relationships, I grew in love, humility, patience and kindness as I immersed myself in others’ lives. It was an immense joy and privilege to work hard alongside and learn from Taiwanese Christians, to keep “the habit of meeting” despite many challenges (Hebrews 10:25).

Pray for Vivian and her upcoming ministry in rural southern Taiwan

Pray for Vivian’s home assignment in Australia (started August 2023) - for a fruitful time with family and friends, churches and mission partners, and good rest and recuperation in preparation for her next term of service

Pray for a smooth transition to a new term, new team and new place, as Vivian prepares for her upcoming church planting ministry in rural southern Taiwan

Give thanks for God’s provision of partners who faithfully pray, encourage and support Vivian in mission out of their love for and obedience to God.

Steve & Saeko Manders

A ministry coach in Japan

Steve’s worn many hats in his nearly 17 years of ministry in Japan - church planter, church revitaliser, team leader, discipler, to name a few. In April 2023, Steve put on the hat of full-time OMF Japan Field Ministry Coach.

Based in Sapporo, on the northernmost island of Hokkaido, he’s not only involved in traditional coaching situations - such as working with colleagues to develop ministry, navigate transitions and strengthen character - but also in a variety of formal training situations.

His ministry includes the following:

• providing foundational training in culture, life and ministry preparedness and ongoing support to newly arrived missionaries

• developing specific training programs, including the OMF Japan Associate Training Track, a hybrid of virtual classroom, self-study and mentoring / coaching for those who come for less than three years for OMF Japan

• facilitating aspects of OMF's international training

• supervising missionaries serving in specialist ministry contexts

Steve is married to Saeko, who formally retired from OMF in 2021 in order to provide care for her aging parents. In October 2022, Saeko returned to OMF Japan part-time as paid staff as Administrator for the Training Sector, a role which sees her giving support to the Sector Leader for Training particularly in the area of co-ordinating centre visits for missionaries in language school.

Pray for Steve and Saeko, and their ministry in Japan

Pray for Steve and Saeko to speak into the lives of this and the next generation of gospel workers serving in places where so many need to experience the gospel’s transforming power.

Pray for wisdom and discernment for Steve as he seeks to develop coaching practices and programs for various ministry contexts, and as he develops and facilitates training programs. Pray that all will be appropriate and timely.

Pray for the hearts and minds of all Steve coaches or trains, that they will continue to be equipped and empowered for ministry.

Pray for Saeko in her staff role with OMF Japan as Administrator for the Training Sector, for effectiveness and joy in her work.

David & Wendy Marshall

Japan, Director of Teaching and Learning; Communications Manager and Editor

David works at the Christian Academy in Japan in Tokyo. He is the Director of Teaching and Learning and also teaches higher level mathematics. Wendy is managing editor of Japan Harvest, a quarterly magazine for and by missionaries from various agencies with a circulation of over 1,000. She’s also the social media manager for OMF Japan—writing, editing, and managing a small team that aims to mobilise people to be more involved in mission using digital media.

God’s provision through a difficult term

We’ve had a difficult term that included the pandemic and various crises with our sons. We’re glad to look back and see how God has sustained us through all the challenges we’ve faced, for meaningful work that we feel gifted to do, and for

the strong sense of His calling to serve Him where we are that has given us daily purpose. God has been daily teaching us to trust Him even when the future seemed incredibly unclear.

Lord willing, we’ll be returning as a couple to Japan in mid-2024 to start our sixth term where we’ll be doing similar roles. Pray for the transition to life again as a couple.

Transitions for adult children

We’re thankful that all our boys have made it through high school and we’re looking forward to seeing them transition to the next stages in their lives in Australia.

Pray for clarity about each step of the way and God’s provision for our boys.

3 Top Tips for SERVING In jAPAN

1. Be sure of God’s calling before you come. An interest in the culture and language of the country isn’t enough to sustain you through the hard times.

2. View the difficulties you encounter on your way to discovering God’s calling as ways that He is teaching and growing you. This will help you later.

3. Be self-feeding—don’t just rely on your church or home group to grow you spiritually—it is important to have regular, simple routines that keep you growing in your understanding of God and on your knees before Him, before you serve Him anywhere.

The Shape of HUMBLE DEPENDENCE

OMF Australia Finance Manager Edwin Lee shares how the Lord brought him to serve with OMF – and the things God’s shown him about Himself, mission, and the shape of humble dependence.

It all started with a visit…and a lot of learning God planted a seed in my heart for mission over ten years ago. A missionary who served in Africa shared at our church – and I knew then that I had to find ways to participate in mission. I signed up to mission courses and seminars, served for 12 years on my church’s mission committee – and earlier this year, God gracefully placed me at OMF, where I now serve as Finance Manager.

Partnership and teamwork are essential to cross-cultural ministry

God has been showing me that cross-cultural mission ministry requires partnership and teamwork. There is a model called the Triangular Partnership, which states that partnerships between church, missionary and mission agency are needed to enable ministry to function effectively.

This model is incomplete. Rather than a mere triangle, it is actually a triangular prism - there should be another dot right above the centre of this triangle. That dot is where God stands. No matter how well the three parties work

within the triangle, it is vital for each party to have a humble heart to serve our Lord, for any ministry to be truly enabled.

As Finance Manager, I see not only the financial connection between missionaries and partners, but God’s hand of providence working in all our hearts.

God’s Kingdom, not our Tower of Babel

I often use the story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis chapter 11:1-9 as a reminder that I need to be humble and all the work that our team carries out is from God and for the glory of God. Serving God in a financial role, we often make decisions that impact ministries in significant ways. This can be dangerous if we are not mindful about our sin. We may be tempted to be proud of work in a selfcentred, self-seeking way; we may rejoice over mere numbers and lose sight of what His provision is for.

Pray for our finance team – that we will constantly remember that all the work that we do is to humbly serve God. Our roles are for God to enable His own ministry. We are here to build His kingdom, not the Tower of Babel for ourselves.

Edwin Lee OMF (AU) Finance Manager

Tim Cross

International Communications Coordinator

Four years ago, I found myself in Singapore, sweating - mostly due to the humidity, but also because of stress - as I prepared to run a session on mobilisation for the next Orientation Course for new OMF missionaries.

I had just taken on the role of International Coordinator for Mobilisation – and as I looked through my predecessor's presentation for inspiration, I found this slide:

that."

Since that session, I've been working to help others in OMF communicate effectively in their work. Good communication principles and practices are vital to mission.

In May, OMF established a Communications department, distinct from the Mobilisation department. It's a reflection of the strategic importance of communications - yes, with our supporters, but also with Christians who we want to see join in our vision, and internally across the multiple OMF centres, leaders and teams across the globe.

Praying for Tim and the international communications team

Grace in adapting to change

The landscape of mission is changing quickly, especially as our digital lives increasingly integrate with our offline interactions. At the beginning of last year my family and I re-located back to Melbourne, so all of my work with others is done online. Pray that I will lead my team well, build and maintain good working relationships with other leaders, and practice what I preach: communicate well!

Clarity amidst complexity

One thing you can guarantee in cross-cultural ministry and communication is layers of meaning and many opportunities for confusion. This plays out at the individual level as well as the organisational level. Pray that OMF would rely on the Lord to find clarity of purpose and that this would translate into our internal and public communications at every level.

Communication with the supporting public is the lifeblood of the mission, second only to prayer.

Hudson Taylor

"Huh - that's a Hudson Taylor quote I haven't come across before." I thought. "Mobilisation is communicating, journeying and praying with people...I'm going to use

I’ve taken on leadership of the international communications team, and our vision is: "Every message effective - every person engaged."

I'm really looking forward to pursuing this - it's something worth sweating over.

Creativity despite limitations

Another thing you can rely on is limited (human) resources. I wish my team was bigger because there is so much more we could do, but my prayer is that we would experience God's inspiration and creativity at work that would result in an impact well beyond our human efforts.

Boaz & Ruth*

Pioneering social media outreach and music ministry in East Asia

For reasons unknown to us, God closed the doors to work directly among the people He has put on our hearts. Yet in His sovereignty, these closed doors led to new opportunities to serve them from the outside – in ways that really tap into our skills and gifts! (Boaz has IT and organizational skills, while I – Rutham a creative musician.) In our next season of ministry, we are:

• Serving missionaries so they stay healthy and are equipped to reach this unreached people group in East Asia

• Pioneering digital media projects such as Scripture apps, music and worship resources, and social media outreach

Building Scripture apps

Using tools designed by experienced Bible translators and programmers, Boaz has been able to build a Scripture app for a related people group. This will allow local Christians to access the Scriptures in their own language not only as text but also as an audio Bible which is

so helpful for many who are from an oral-based culture.

Transcribing worship songs by local Christians

I have been working on transcribing worship songs written by local Christians so they can be published as a hymnal. This hymnal will eventually be distributed in print and as an app.

Launching a social media outreach ministry

Our next initiative is to launch a social media outreach that exposes people to the Scriptures in their own language so they can ask more questions and consider the claims of Jesus. We have much to learn, but we are so excited about the possibilities - particularly to reach people who live in places that are difficult to physically access.

We feel privileged to play our part in bringing the gospel East Asians, using the gifts and skills that the Lord has given us. We are excited to use tools that are relevant and accessible to many who might not have otherwise heard the good news of Jesus.

Pray for Boaz and Ruth, and their media and music ministry in East Asia

Pray for boldness, creativity and wisdom as we begin the social media outreach ministry. For discernment as we create content and design posts that will trigger curiosity and lead people to ask more questions about life and the gospel.

Pray for colleagues located across Asia serving these unreached peoples. Pray for healthy relationships with locals, teammates, within their families and with the Lord. Pray that we would all be faithful in serving through the opportunities the Lord has brought us.

Pray for a short term missionary who will be joining us for two months during the second half of 2023. She will be training us in using various social media platforms and will work on content creation with us.

Workshops : Using your profession for mission | A mission workshop with Dr Derek and Anna Brotherson | Sharing the gospel through digital media | Raising a family on the mission field | Reaching out to East Asian diaspora communities

for more information and to register